Land Space/ Bright Laser Technologies
Chinese carrier rocket company Land Space successfully launched its ZQ-3 VRVL-1 reusable vertical takeoff and landing (VTVL) recovery-test rocket, which featured several additive manufactured components.
Using Bright Laser Technology’s (BLT) BLT-S310 and BLT-S400 metal additive manufacturing systems, engine components such as joint elements, igniter mounts, and the intricate free-body section were 3D printed.
The two companies have been working together since 2019, with component production since said to have been expedited by the use of 3D printing technology. With 3D printing, Land Space is said to have experienced reduced production costs and quicker product iteration cycles, helping the company to make significant strides towards the ‘historic milestone’ it reached last month.
On January 19, the VTVL recover-test rocket launch ‘validated the correctness of Land Space’s overall scheme for the vertical recovery of the reusable Liquid Oxygen-Methane rocket’s first stage’ and ‘affirmed the correctness of the wide-ranging variable thrust Liquid Oxygen-Methane propulsion systems scheme.’ The compatibility of the rocket control system with engine thrust adjustment characteristics, the accuracy of the guidance and control scheme during the landing phase, and the reliable performance of the rocket’s soft landing cushioning mechanism were also said to have been validated.
The success of the mission has also affirmed the use of metal additive manufacturing, which helped to provide flexibility, save costs and address complex design problems along the way. The free-body section of the engine, for example, consisted of a complex internal cooling structure that traditional manufacturing methods struggled to meet. By using 3D printing to produce the free-body section, erosion of the combustion chamber casing was avoided.
A statement from Land Space read: “To better meet the technical demands of our engine, we chose metal 3D printing technology for the production of critical components with exacting quality standards. Recognising BLT as a frontrunner in additive technology solutions, and excelling in metal 3D printing services, equipment and powders, we decided to cooperate with BLT. BLT played a crucial role in reducing production time, expediting deliveries and supporting our rapid development iterations.”
